Interchangeable belt



May 12, 1959 R. c. m ETAL 2,885,684

INTERCHANGEABLE BELT Filed Dec. 3, 1957 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Raw??? 6. 21 4% $420720 6. 893444 May 12, 1959 Filed Dec. 3. 1957 I L I HHIIIIIHHIIIIHHHIHIIIIIHHIHIIHHIHIIIIHH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 h l INVENTORS ,f & FIZZ IKE 5'. Hi5

t- States Patent INTERCHANGEABLE BELT Robert C. Dye and Richard C. Haag, Bergen, NY. I Application December 3, 1957, Serial No. 700,346

Claims. (Cl. 2--300) I This invention relates to clothing and more particularly to a dressing belt.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel belt construction that includes a sheath having inner and outer surfaces of different color patterns which may be selectively turned inside out in order to change the appearance thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for facilitating the reversal of the sheath of the belt so that the color combinations thereof may be readily and conveniently altered.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an interchangeable belt of the above type which may be used to provide as many as four completely different colors or patterns so that it may be worn with substantially any type of clothing.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an interchangeable belt bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and etficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a belt made in accordance with one form of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the belt of Figure 1 in a turned about position;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the buckle forming a part of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of certain parts of the belt construction shown in Figure 3 with the sheath turned inside out;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified form of sheath construction;

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view showing certain details of construction;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken along line 77 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross sectional view showing the manner in which the insert is placed within the sheath;

Figure 10 is a longitudinal cross sectional perspective view showing the insert in proper assembled relationship with the sheath;

Figure 11 is a perspective longitudinal cross sectional view showing the manner in which the sheath is turned inside out;

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure l1, showing a modified mechanism for turning the sheath inside out; and

Figure 13 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a secret compartment for concealing currency within the belt construction.

. Referring now more in detail to the drawing, a belt Patented May 12, 1959.;

2 10 made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a tubular sheath 11 which is preferably constructed from two similar layers 12, 13 of material having different exterior surface patterns that are secured together along adjacent lateral edges by means of stitches 15. Cross stitches are preferably .used for this purpose in order to eliminate any bulging material and to facilitate the turning of the sheathinside out in a manner here-, inafter described. v p I The combined layers 12, 13 define an inside passage-f way 16 which slidably receives an insert 17 of a more rigid material that adds body to the belt and provides one means for turning the sheath inside out. This insert is also provided with a central cutout 18 which may be used to receive a folded currency note 19 so as to conceal 1 p it within the belt in a safe and inconspicuous place.

One end of the sheath is closed by the stitching, while the opposite end thereof is open and is arranged to ad-,

justably receive a buckle 20 having a manually operated clamp 21. This clamp 21 may be rotated between an open and a closed position so as to secure the buckle 20 in any desired position along the length of the belt and to provide simple means for removing the buckle when it is desired to change the color pattern of the belt.

As is more clearly shown in Figures 6 to 11, a threaded stud 23 is secured to one end of the insert 17, while an eyelet 24 is secured to one side 13 of the sheath 11 at the closed end thereof in a position corresponding to the position of the stud 23. In assembling the insert 17 within the passageway 16 of the sheath 11, as shown in Figure 9, the stud 23 is moved into the eyelet 24, following which a knurled nut 25 secures the parts in assembled relationship, as shown in Figure 10. Whenever it is desired to turn the sheath 11 inside out, it is only necessary to pull the sheath in a reverse manner over the insert 17, as shown in Figure 11, whereupon the inside surfaces of the layers 12, 13 will be disposed upon the outside of the sheath 11a. After the sheath has been reversed in this manner, it is then only necessary to detach the insert 17 and reassemble it in the manner shown in Figure 9.

In Figure 12, a modified form of construction is shown wherein a rod 27 having a cross head 26 is provided to facilitate the turning of the sheath 11 inside out in the absence of an insert 17. In the belt made in accordance with this embodiment, the sheath is self supporting and requires no insert so that it is of much lighter weight. To turn the sheath inside out, it is only necessary to insent the rod 27 into the passageway 16 through the eyelet 24 until the head 26 prevents continued movement thereof. By then pulling the sheath in a reverse manner over the rod 27, the inside surfaces of the sheath are then exposed outwardly while the otherwise outwardly exposed surfaces are turned to the inside.

It will be recognized that it is possible to provide up to four completely diiferent surface designs since each side of both layers may be differently patterned. Thus, either one of the two outwardly exposed surfaces may be exposed merely by reversing the position of the belt buckle without necessitating turning the sheath inside out. However, the embodiment 30 shown in Figure 5 is of much simpler construction in that it is constructed from a single layer 31 of material having a single pattern on the outside surface and a single pattern on the inside surface. The opposite lateral edges of this layer 31 are secured together by stitches 33 in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described, so as to provide a tubular passageway 34 for removably receiving an insert or T-rod 0f the type hereinbefore described to facilitate the turning ofthe sheath inside out whenever it is desired to change from one of the patterns to the other.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall 3 be withinthe spirit and scopeof defined'by the appendedclaims:

What we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Ardressbelt assemblfi 'comprisifig; in combination; atleastone layer of" flexible fabricdefining an elbng'ated" tiibnlar sheath closed at one end and open-atthe'oppo site end; a; buckle adjustably secured totlreoppositeopen' end of'said sheath," a completely'difierentcolorpatterrr oneach side of" said layer of'iabric, andmeans for se lectively' reversing the interior and exterior-surfaces of said' sheath including an eyelet" at" said oneend ofsaid" sheath, and said means further cQmpriSing a 'membenex=- the present invention as tending through said sheath into engagemennwi'th said eyelet forsecuring said one end of said sheatlr in 'a" rela= tively stationary position whilethe= opposite end of saikil sh'eathis drawn over said'one-"end toreversesaidinterior' and exterior surfaces'of saidsheatli;

2: The combination according to claim li wherein'said' member comprises a rod slidablyreceived within said" eyelet, anda cross arm at'one endof" said rodacting as a stop for preventingcomp'lete" movement of said) rodthrough said'eyelet.

a esmeee 3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said member comprises aweb insert extending substantially throughout the entire length of said sheath for rigidifying said sheath, and said insert at one end has means releasably engaging said eyelet for facilitating the reversal of said sheath.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said insert defines a central openingfor removably supporting a folded currency notetwithinsaid sheath.

5. The combinationaccordingto' clainr 4', wherein said sheathflcomprises a-pair of layers, each one of. saidulayers having difierent surface patterns than the other, and stitchingsecm'ing'th'e adjacent lateral edges 'ofsa'id'layers i together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 362,601" Bretzfield May'IO, 1887 599,683 Capitain Mar; 1, 189'8 1,900,490 Famous Mar. 7"," 1933 1390316 Ansell Feb. 5; 1935 

